Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE Raises Stock Holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (The) $PG

Key Points

• Smithbridge Asset Management more than doubled its stake in Procter & Gamble in the fourth quarter, increasing holdings by 106.4% to 63,676 shares valued at about $9.1 million.
• Other institutional investors also boosted or initiated positions in PG, and hedge funds and institutions now own 65.77% of the stock.
• Procter & Gamble reported solid results and raised its dividend, posting EPS of $1.59 versus $1.56 expected and increasing its quarterly payout to $1.0885 per share, or $4.35 annually.

Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE raised its holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG - Free Report) by 106.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 63,676 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 32,821 shares during the quarter. Smithbridge Asset Management Inc. DE's holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $9,125,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in PG. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 1,000.0% during the fourth quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 165 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the period. Park Square Financial Group LLC raised its position in Procter & Gamble by 65.1% in the fourth quarter. Park Square Financial Group LLC now owns 180 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. raised its position in Procter & Gamble by 1,315.4% in the fourth quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 184 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the period. Maseco LLP purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 65.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Procter & Gamble

Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer praised Procter & Gamble as a stock that helps investors safely own higher-volatility tech names, reinforcing PG’s appeal as a defensive holding during market sell-offs. Jim Cramer Says “The P&Gs and the J&Js in Your Portfolio Allow You to Safely Own the Techs”
• Positive Sentiment: P&G’s Downy brand launched Boutique Botanicals scent beads, expanding its premium home care lineup and potentially supporting growth in a core category. Procter And Gamble Taps Cynthia Rowley For Premium Downy Scent Launch
• Positive Sentiment: Haut.AI’s collaboration with OLAY on virtual companion skincare technology could strengthen P&G’s beauty innovation and improve the consumer experience for a major brand. Haut.AI Collaborates with OLAY on Virtual Companion Technology to Power Clinically Modeled Skincare Simulations
• Neutral Sentiment: P&G presented at the Evercore Consumer & Retail Conference, which may have kept attention on the company but did not include a clear new financial catalyst. The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) Presents at The 6th Annual Evercore Consumer & Retail Conference Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary pieces continued to frame PG as a dependable dividend and “market shield” stock, reinforcing its defensive profile rather than signaling a major new operational development. 1 Plain-As-Day Dividend King to Buy and Never Sell That Has Paid a Continuous Dividend Since 1891 How Procter and Gamble Became the Market’s Shield

Procter & Gamble Stock Up 0.5%

PG opened at $149.36 on Thursday. Procter & Gamble Company has a 12 month low of $137.62 and a 12 month high of $167.25. The company has a market cap of $347.80 billion, a PE ratio of 21.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.38 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a 50 day moving average of $144.44 and a 200 day moving average of $147.70.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.56 by $0.03. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.00% and a net margin of 19.16%.The firm had revenue of $21.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.52 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.54 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 EPS for the current year.

Procter & Gamble Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 24th were issued a dividend of $1.0885 per share. This represents a $4.35 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, April 24th. This is a boost from Procter & Gamble's previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Procter & Gamble's payout ratio is presently 63.60%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently commented on PG. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Procter & Gamble from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $175.00 to $166.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Procter & Gamble from $159.00 to $155.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. BNP Paribas Exane dropped their price target on Procter & Gamble from $172.00 to $165.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on Procter & Gamble from $142.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Procter & Gamble has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $161.06.

Procter & Gamble Company Profile

Procter & Gamble NYSE: PG is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the world's largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide.

P&G's product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.

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